Comments on Cranky Fitness: Guilt: it's not just for mothers anymore

Guilt? LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT GUILT!! Jewish Grand...

2008-08-30T15:24:00.000-04:00

Guilt? LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT GUILT!! Jewish Grandmother, Catholic Grandmother...I am overweight, unmarried and live alone..I like it I am not gay but grandmas both think I must be...or I would be married by now oh I am 32 years old. When I feel guilty about my body I simply remember what my nephew told me when he was 3 years old "auntie you is so comfortable to sit on I love you".. SO there ya go I don't do guilt and I don't worry I love me. Take that you skinny lil girls

I feel incredible guilt if I don't work out, even ...

2008-08-12T04:20:00.000-04:00

I feel incredible guilt if I don't work out, even when I'm very sick and have the zoomies from too much cold medicine. I use that guilt to get my butt to the gym 5 days a week for lifting, cardio, yoga, swimming or some combo of every day. I have a free trainer in the assistant strength and conditioning coach at the local D1 university since my husband works for the athletics department (I know hardly anyone has this luxury). I feel that if I'm not at the weight room everytime I say I will be I'm letting the coach down. He's invested a lot of time, effort, and knowledge in me and I'm not going to waste it. I also belong to the gym on campus which is across the street and go over there after lifting. I get to combine a visit with hubby and exercise so that's very nice. I've set mini-goals which the strength coach has helped me achieve. I don't really enjoy working out and being soggy from sweat but since I know I'm capable of it then why not? There's the guilt again.

there are 2 things that make me feel guilty if i d...

2008-08-08T16:11:00.000-04:00

there are 2 things that make me feel guilty if i don't exercise.

1. i paid all that money on my treadmill, so i better be using it every chance i get.

2. sparkpeople says i have cardio scheduled for today, and i can't let sparkpeople down! seriously, this makes me feel guilty.

EAting disorders...guilt comes from OCD like tenda...

2008-08-08T09:25:00.000-04:00

EAting disorders...guilt comes from OCD like tendances. Yet, even though I have compulsive eating disorder and guilt with food is just bad, bad, bad for me...the guilt factor worked for me in the exercise department. Now that the exercise program is over, I've pretty much stopped exercising :( Someone else counting on you is great motivation, even if it's only in your head. Now I just need to find a way to trick myself into thinking someone else is counting on me and I'll be good!

T? "try to get a workout buddy ... even one long d...

2008-08-08T08:52:00.000-04:00

T? "try to get a workout buddy ... even one long distance. you can call him/her and s/he can call you and ask, "have you worked out yet today?" "
When I manage to walk at the park, I'm sometimes there at the same time as one of several women who walk round the path talking on the phone the whole time. From what I overhear they seem to be talking to people who are also exercising somewhere else. So long-distance buddying can be more than just a check-in.

And Merry? How can you watch House, with all those dying/nearly dying people, and not get motivated to be as healthy as possible?

Mary Anne in Kentucky

Guilt is probably one of my worst factors. It foll...

2008-08-07T22:32:00.000-04:00

Guilt is probably one of my worst factors. It follows me everywhere...I used to tell on myself when I was little it is so bad haha. I beat myself up on it and don't easliy let things go =\

I don't use guilt (except when I do, in situations...

2008-08-07T21:51:00.000-04:00

I don't use guilt (except when I do, in situations like Jill suggested...not that I ever actually do that either..) so much as a half-hearted self-loathing.

When I don't want to exercise, I start noticing the women around me or open a magazine or look at advertisements. I either see beautiful women who take care of their bodies, or hot-hot-hot men who I want to want me. Ensue half-hearted self loathing, both for my lack of perfection AND (mostly) my lack of self discipline and control.

I know - that's a terrible terrible and unhealthy method. But it works for me.

Let's see...since I usually do have to make myse...

2008-08-07T20:14:00.000-04:00

Let's see...since I usually do have to *make* myself go to the gym, i've employed many failsafe measures.

I have a gym buddy, who also happens to be my Sigifigant Other, who will know if I'm slacking.

I signed up for the hundred push up challenge and use the fact that I have to do my push ups today and it's easier to do them at the gym.

I blog it. Knowing that people are reading my blog and will know if I'm slacking off is usually enough on it's own to make me go.

I signed up for this service at http://hassleme.co.uk/ to have it email me every two days to remember to go to the gym. Having that email show up every two days keeps it in the front of my mind.

-Meg

Ah, guilt. I grew up living with it and I couldn't...

2008-08-07T16:40:00.000-04:00

Ah, guilt. I grew up living with it and I couldn't shake it now if I tried.

I even feel guilty when I try to make my kids feel guilty.

Sigh.

I forgot to mention what works for me and you coul...

2008-08-07T15:50:00.000-04:00

I forgot to mention what works for me and you could try it...put a treadmill or exercise bike next to the television and ride, walk or jog on it while watching House or any other show you enjoy! It helps you lose track of time so you aren't whining about 10 minutes feeling like 30 and it's a good reminder when you see them both in the same room!

First of all, I have to say this has turned into m...

2008-08-07T15:39:00.000-04:00

First of all, I have to say this has turned into my fave blog to read and I read many now...links off of links, etc. I even read all the comments and end up commenting to them! (It helped that I was one of the razor winners, my teenage daugher loves using it and hubby coveted it!)
I have to whine about this, "One study of 230 women, aged 18-45" because it would seem anyone not in that age range don't count, but I happen to be above it and still feel guilt (imagine that)!
My mom STILL uses guilt with me, sugar coating it the whole way. "Would you please do (insert disgusting task) for your loving mother who used to do (insert random motherly duties performed when you were a helpless toddler)? Do you remember when I used to (more tiresome motherly duties) for you, sweety?
I am now asking my kids to NOT LET ME GET LIKE THAT when I am older (Then I tease them subtley in the same manner, having fun with it and making them laugh, which I should feel guilty about but don't!)
I am like the two who said they are stubborn and won't do things out of guilt, rebeling against the mom in myself asking myself in a sugar coated way to do what I detest or in this case don't want to do!
I'll do things when I feel like it, usually because I want to feel better about my appearance, not because anyone coerced me into it.
I have two sisters who take after Mom so I should be a pro by now about how to avoid doing things out of any guilt trips.

I was thinking about this "guilt" thing a few week...

2008-08-07T14:59:00.000-04:00

I was thinking about this "guilt" thing a few weeks ago. For me, I feel guilty when I overeat or eat junk. I realized after a particularly large, greasy meal that it wasn't so bad to feel guilty. Instead, I should remember that feeling of guilt and next time eat a little less or choose a healthier snack. I totally don't have any eating disorders (besides eating too much), so this works for me. It helps to keep me in line.

i like the bribery comments ... except bribing mys...

2008-08-07T14:57:00.000-04:00

i like the bribery comments ... except bribing myself doesn't work.

try to get a workout buddy ... even one long distance. you can call him/her and s/he can call you and ask, "have you worked out yet today?" you could lie, but then ... TA DA! guilt.

maybe. it's worth a try, at least ...?

BTW there's an interesting article (touching a lit...

2008-08-07T12:27:00.000-04:00

BTW there's an interesting article (touching a little on guilt) at The Simple Dollar on buying organic food.

Nitmos, that was one funny comment. I can't seem ...

2008-08-07T12:03:00.000-04:00

Nitmos, that was one funny comment.

I can't seem to work up to guilt if there's nobody to let down but me. The guilt partner seems like a really good idea. Also the watching Fit TV. Also the blogging, which is what I'm trying now. Exercise 3 times a week is goal number 56. Not that I'm taking them in order or anything! I'm meaning to get right on that one.....:-P

Forget Guilt. Go with Bribery. Barter with yoursel...

2008-08-07T11:44:00.000-04:00

Forget Guilt. Go with Bribery. Barter with yourself that if you do it for 5mins you can watch House without the Guilt. Once your doing it, it will seldom last for only 5mins. Thereby you avoid guilt and slug-like-ness

Guilt is a great motivator. But good point on how...

2008-08-07T11:19:00.000-04:00

Guilt is a great motivator. But good point on how it can also have negative effects- you've got to be careful with it!

I find blogging and knowing that someone is readin...

2008-08-07T11:11:00.000-04:00

I find blogging and knowing that someone is reading to be a pretty good motivator.

Guilt, I find, often has the opposite effect on me, since I become morose and stubborn when I feel guilty. It's hard to run when you feel morose.

Also, I REALLY want to know what that perfume smells like. What would "Guilt" smell like?

Watching television to get motivated to exercise?O...

2008-08-07T10:42:00.000-04:00

Watching television to get motivated to exercise?

Ooooh, now that sounds like a strategy I could use.

Alice, you're a genius!

Oh wait. Probably has to be a fitness-related program, hmmn? House definitely doesn't qualify :(

You know what works for me? Watching Fit TV when I...

2008-08-07T10:37:00.000-04:00

You know what works for me? Watching Fit TV when I don't feel like working out... within a few minutes, I feel so guilty and I am so envious of whoever is working at the time, I get it done.
I know, crazy...

I have seldom found guilt to be a motivator, as it...

2008-08-07T10:29:00.000-04:00

I have seldom found guilt to be a motivator, as it puts a demand on me and I am demand resistant -- as soon as I "have" to do something, it is demanded of me, I resist doing it.

Instead I have to use the "I choose" method, as in, "I choose to eat veggies instead of having chips now."

It also helps to have an accountability partner or group, even if it is online. I can't stand to let other people down.

messymimi

Even bulimia folks get up and puke which is a form...

2008-08-07T10:22:00.000-04:00

Even bulimia folks get up and puke which is a form of exercise. So, by sitting on the couch all day, you rank lower than a bulimiac on the physical activity scale.

My mom was a big fan of using guilt to manipulate ...

2008-08-07T10:13:00.000-04:00

My mom was a big fan of using guilt to manipulate me when I was a kid, and I hated it. Ever since then, I make a huge (Herculean) effort to resist using guilt on myself or others. (And I've had problems with disordered eating, so I think it's best to refrain as Merry said in the post.) I'm sure it can be effective and harmless for others, but for me, it just makes me feel bad...

I wouldn't say that I feel guilt, necessarily. It...

2008-08-07T10:02:00.000-04:00

I wouldn't say that I feel guilt, necessarily. It's more that once the endorphins wear off, and I start realizing I haven't exercised in a while, then I start to feel bad about myself and noticing all those little things I don't like (a little tummy rolling here, some tight pants there).

That said, usually if I have a workout canceled for some reason (like, if nobody shows up for class), I'm really happy because I'm usually at the gym so much I welcome the break. It's amazing how motivating getting paid to work out is :D

I don't feel guilty for not exercising so I can't ...

2008-08-07T10:00:00.000-04:00

I don't feel guilty for not exercising so I can't help there. But what I've found recently to motivate me is my weight being very publicly posted on my blog for all the world to see. Nothing like knowing that everyone is watching that number to get my lazy butt off the couch. I'm with ya, once I get started it's great, I just have a million reasons to keep myself from getting started. Ohhh...a shiny...